Despite our ever-increasing dependence upon technology to help us run our lives – there’s one thing that we will never be able to omit from our daily routine, and that is – Mother Nature. What you may not realise is that the weather has far more of an effect on our health than we may realise – staring up at dark clouds overhead everyday, can get you down, yet too much sun can cause heat exhaustion and (obviously) sunburn! We look at the top 4 weather-triggered health conditions that effect us today, and how we can treat them.

Of course! The first thing that comes to mind when we think about weather-related allergies would be Hay Fever. During the spring comes the blossoming of flowers, and a significant increase in the amount of pollen floating through the air. Those who suffer from hay fever suffer from sneezing, difficulty breathing and general stuffiness. The pollen gets into the nasal passage, throat and lungs and causes an ellergic reaction. The most common conditions for hay-fever are dry & windy, but the condition can be treated easily with over-the-counter remedies and medicine.

Sleep

The biggest factor when it comes to your quality of sleep being affected by the weather is actually The Sun, and the amount of light exposure we get throughout the seasons of Winter and Summer. In the Winter – we get less sun-exposure, which causes our bodies to produce more melatonin, which in turn – causes us to be sluggish, tired, and less likely to go out for a run! In the Summer – the opposite is true, and our melatonin levels drop to a low point, causing us to feel far more active! This of course means that our sleep is affected more in the Summer, so we should be sure to get outside during the day (when we want to avoid being sleepy), and staying in at night (when we want our body to relax).

Headache

We may not realise it, but many of the headaches we get on a day-to-day basis are actually caused by the weather. Changes in temperature, humidity and barometric pressure cause neurovascular imbalances within our brain, which then causes pressure and ultimately – a headache. Scientists also believes that a headache may also be the brain telling the person to seek a more comfortable or hospitable environment, again this could be triggered by adverse weather conditions.

Anxiety/Depression

Those who are constantly subject to poor weather, often sight a downturn in their general happiness. ‘Winter Blues’ is actually also known by it’s more scientific name - Seasonal affective disorder, which affects most people (whether or not they realise it). Ultimately – we’re more likely to be happy in the Summer, and less happy in the Winter!

Without going into too much detail here – we’re all aware (or at least – we should be) that our body weight is largely related to the amount of calories we consume and exhume on a daily basis. That is – the amount of food we take in, versus the amount of activity/exercise we have our bodies perfume. In short – regular exercise burns more calories, which means our body weight is kept at a healthy level. You should aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes 3 times a week. If you don’t have the time – you need to work the exercise into your daily routine – take the stairs instead of the elevator, or get off the train one stop early!

Cholesterol Levels

Keeping fit is known to reduce the level of high-density lipoprotein (that is – cholesterol of the good kind!) and also to decrease unhealthy triglycerides. The less (bad) cholesterol we have in our body, the better, as this can clog our arteries – if even one of your main arteries gets too clogged with cholesterol – this can stop the flow of blood around the body, and will likely result in a cardiovascular disease, or cardiovascular arrest for your heart. And we all know what that means…

Mood

That’s right – your mood can be affected by whether or not you exercise on a regular basis. Going to the gym and working out can make you feel far better about your appearance to others, which in turn – will likely make you feel better about life in general. Exercising creates chemical reactions in the brain which creates a positive mood. So next time you’re feeling down about life – get your joggers on and go for a run around the block – you may find that it improves your mood, if only for just a few hours.

Energy

It’s a good cycle to get your body into. Physical activity enables your body to be more effective in providing the energy required to bring oxygen to the muscles. Nurients are also more effectively delivered during exericse, and this all has the positive effect of making you feel more ‘alive’ and ready for the day ahead. That’s why the morning time is the most recommended time of the day to workout, because that energises and prepares your body for the day’s challenges.

Sleep

It’s worth remembering then, that working out at night, might have a negative effect on your sleep! Energy, oxygen and nutrients being actively pumped around the body just after a workout, may not be so good for you if you’re trying to get to sleep! Exercise also raises your body temperature, which also prevents you from sleeping. If you can’t work out in the morning – make sure you at least don’t work out to close to bed-time, or you could be in for a rough night, which will ultimately affect your ability to get through tomorrow!

Let’s be honest – we’d all love to be a doctor. Or would we? Some people don’t want the responsibility, or to have to study the endless number of years it takes to become a GP. We look at the top 7 careers you should look into if you want to get into the healthcare industry.

Being a doctor has it’s pros and cons. The cons being that it takes years of study and hard work to become a doctor, and most people fail or give up. You also work long hours and have a lot of dependants and responsibility, and you’re always on-call. The pros being that you start on very good pay, and it gets better, especially if you become a partner in your own practice!

Ambulance Officers / Paramedics

Ambulance Officers & Paramedics provide an amazingly valuable service to the general public. The great thing about being a paramedic as that you don’t need to study for many years, mere general qualifications can suffice, and the job is incredibly interesting, as long as you don’t mind seeing the odd severed leg!

Dentist

Being a dentist however is far more challenging. You do need to study for years and at the end you’re rewarded with the opportunity to stare into people’s mouths, and let’s face it – most of us don’t take nearly as much care of our mouth’s as we really should do!

Midwife

Choosing midwifery as a career is an incredibly rewarding and satisfactory decision. Aside from the obvious issue of having to deliver babies – once it’s all over, you get to share in the never-ending joy that results from the creation of life. Any midwife will tell you that while their days can be challenging and often stressful – overall – they love their job.

Surgeon

When it comes to having the most stressful job – surgeons probably take the reward for this! A surgeons job can range from being a plastic surgeon who improves the quality of people’s lives by giving them facial/body enhancements, to brain surgeons who literally save people’s lives on a daily basis. Make one bad move as a brain surgeon, and you could have just flat-lined your patient. Awkward!

Veterinary Nurse

Yet another healthcare career which requires extensive training is that of a vetinary nurse. Trained in the treatment and prevention of illness of animals – being a vet is widely seen as one of the most rewarding jobs a human can have. Nothing beats saving a loved one’s dog after it’s been suffering from a twisted stomach, or has swallowed something it shouldn’t have.

Dietitian

Those in ill-health often need professional advice regarding their diet. It’s amazing how little the general public know about what they should, and what they shouldn’t be eating! A Dietician’s role is to keep their diet on track, so that they don’t cause further illness or aggrevation to their existing condition. Senior dieticians start on a minimum of $38,000, and can earn up to $80,000 per year!